Kadri Matteus joins Ellex to strengthen public procurement practice

On 2 November, attorney-at-law Kadri Matteus will join Ellex in Estonia as an Associate Partner. One of Estonia’s leading public procurement lawyers, Kadri will develop the firm’s public procurement practice and also advise clients on public law and administrative disputes.

Kadri has extensive experience advising both public and private sector clients. In public procurement, she has advised contracting authorities and businesses throughout the procurement process, from developing internal procurement procedures and conducting procurement proceedings to participating in tenders and representing clients in disputes. She also has first-hand experience working on the contracting authority side.

Before establishing her own law firm, Kadri worked at a leading Estonian law firm from 2013 to 2023 as an attorney-at-law and counsel. In 2023, she founded Advokaadibüroo Matteus, focusing primarily on public procurement while also advising clients on public law and dispute resolution.

According to Ellex Estonia Managing Partner Martin Mäesalu, Kadri’s arrival reflects the increasingly complex nature of public procurement and the growing demand for specialist legal advice from both contracting authorities and bidders. Given current trends, the firm expects this area of law to continue to grow.

“When welcoming new partners, personal fit comes first. It is essential that we share the same values and approach to our work, and with Kadri there were no doubts in this respect. Everything else quickly fell into place. Kadri is one of Estonia’s most visible and experienced public procurement lawyers. Major procurements increasingly involve not only procurement law, but also disputes, competition law, regulation in other areas and security considerations. Kadri’s experience will allow us to address these matters even more comprehensively. Over the past few years, she has also successfully built and led her own law firm. That experience and entrepreneurial drive will certainly be valuable at Ellex as well,” said Mäesalu.

According to Kadri Matteus, joining Ellex gives her the opportunity to combine in-depth public procurement expertise with the experience of a larger team and specialists from other areas of law, allowing her to offer clients an even broader range of advice. “Building and developing my own law firm, as well as the years I previously spent at another leading law firm, have been exceptionally valuable experiences. The most important part has been the trust and close relationships I have built with my clients. Joining Ellex gives me the opportunity to offer clients first-rate advice on public procurement and administrative disputes, backed by one of the strongest legal teams in Estonia. Shared values and a good cultural fit are equally important to me, providing a strong foundation for doing excellent work together,” said Matteus.

Kadri has also actively contributed to the development of public procurement law and knowledge sharing in Estonia. She is a co-author of the 2019 and 2025 annotated editions of the Estonian Public Procurement Act and runs the public procurement blog Riigihankeblogi and podcast Etapiviisiline Elu. She has been a member of the Board of the Estonian Bar Association since 2025 and served on its Administrative Law Committee from 2020 to 2025.

Kadri’s work has also been recognised by international legal directories. Lexology has recognised her in the field of public procurement from 2023 to 2026 and awarded her Client’s Choice recognition in 2023. Clients have described her:

Kadri Matteus is seen as one of the most renowned public procurement lawyers in Estonia, having advised contracting authorities and entrepreneurs on a wide range of issues.